Elvis lives.

Not by my reckoning, no, but some 9% of Americans think so. That's 27 million. If Elvis believers had their own state - Elvisstan? - it would be more populous than Australia, Malaysia and Taiwan, inter alia, and outnumber Greece and Sweden combined. Crikey.

I suspect there is a very strong correlation with the 7% of Americans who claim to have been abducted by aliens; again, greater than the population of Australia.

Elsewhere, an alarming 81% of our American friends would give a straight answer if one of his or her children asked when they lost their virginity. In an alarming sign of the decline in national faith in an extended form of manifest destiny, only 19% of Americans think the world would be a better place if America ruled all of it.

And finally, "23% of Americans have cried after receiving a haircut they didn't like". (Greater than the population of the British isles....)

So, why all the odd statistics? Well, a quiz show airing over yonder is collating stats and then quizzing contestants: "Power of 10 is a high-stakes game that challenges contestants to guess the behaviors, opinions and lifestyle choices of the American public for the chance to win $10 million dollars". Anyway, the press release I have been filleting is available here, registration required. The Power of 10 website contains the same information in a less organised format.

Doubtless the same show format will make it to these shores ere long, and the air will be rent with wailing, gnashing of teeth and cries of o tempora, o mores.